Very new DNS user needs help getting a macro to save documents on a network
Submitted by Chrimarsh on Wed, 04/23/2008 - 21:19.
I just got DNS installed at my workstation yesterday. I am feeling a little overwhelmed by all the learning and reading. And I know nothing at all about macros.
I have been trying to find a way to save a document by a simple voice command, in a sub-folder on a network. It seems it should be an easy thing to do, but I can't find any instructions for making a voice command for it at all, without going through every single level of folders and sub-folders.
Basically, I need to open the save-as window and navigate through My Computer, Where Everyone saves their stuff [G:]\ Our group's stuff \ Stuff we don't want deleted \ Where the heck is this now \ I really need to hang on to it \ Will I ever find this again\
so I can then save "Important_Safety_information_do_not_lose.doc" to this location. (It's actually several subfolders below that, but I think I made my point.)
I use the "Will I ever find this again" folder many times a day. Once I get there I have to save my documents in different numbered folders.
Can I create a macro that will open the "Will I ever find this again" folder by a single voice command and then let me save to a numbered sub-folder that I specify?
I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but I did try some searching and didn't find anything... and I am soooo tired of reading now. 
What version and edition of
What version and edition of Dragon do you have?
(example: Dragon NaturallySpeaking Version 9.5 preferred edition)
Not knowing your previous
Not knowing your previous experience with DNS, I'm going to assume that this is your initial contact. If that's true, then you need to watch out for a big mistake newbies make when they get into speech recognition, namely moving too fast.
First you have to learn how to use the product correctly, then you can add the useful frills like scripts. "Correct" means learning how to set up a user, train the product, how to dictate, when and how to correct, etc.
OTOH, maybe you're an old hand and you've already mastered these skills, and feel you're ready to move on to macro writing. Unfortunately, macros require a different set of skills than dictation, and there isn't a lot of overlap between the two.
If you're not familiar with programming, then the most productive way to go is to get an add-on product with a lot of macro functionality built into it, like the KnowBrainer Command software or VoicePower.
Anyway, let us know more about your situation and we can tailor advice appropriately.
Bruce
Chrimarsh wrote: I have
I have been trying to find a way to save a document by a simple voice command, in a sub-folder on a network. It seems it should be an easy thing to do, but I can't find any instructions for making a voice command for it at all, without going through every single level of folders and sub-folders.
If you have Dragon Professional you can create a scripting macro to do this. The book, "Scripting for Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9" by Larry Allen is easy to read and has many learn by example exercises.
Another approach is to use "VoicePower Pro 9.7." This program is not only a great Dragon Tutorial, it also has comprehensive navigation of Windows drives and folders (Voice Directories) and voice control of windows (Voice Windows).
--
Martin Markoe, eMicrophones, Inc.
Macros Macros Macros
KnowBrainer
2007 already includes commands for saving files to specific folders and
opening specific folders along with instructions on how to tweak the commands
to work for you. KnowBrainer works in all versions of NaturallySpeaking from
DNS Preferred on up. If you are not using one of the professional versions of
NaturallySpeaking than you will need to acquire a third-party command utility
in order to do what you want. If you're interested in finding out more about
KnowBrainer check out our What
is KnowBrainer and you'll find a good feel more information on this subject
matter on the official KnowBrainer
Speech Recognition Forums
Lunis Orcutt - Developer of KnowBrainer &
Host
of the Http://www.KnowBrainer.com Speech Recognition Forum
A Nuance Gold Certified Endorsed Dragon
NaturallySpeaking Vendor/Trainer
Macros to open a folder and to save word doc to a folder
You could create advanced scripting macros to save a word doc to a particular folder, also to open that folder.
For "save to folder" macro
Copy the script below:
SendDragonKeys "{Alt+F}a"
Wait .1
SendDragonKeys "add file path here"
Wait .5
SendDragonKeys "{Enter}"
Wait .4
SendDragonKeys "{Shift+Tab}"
you will need to add the file path, which you can copy from Windows Explorer eg "C:\Dragon\macros"
Say "add new command" or go to Dragon bar/tools/add new command
give your macro a name e.g. "save to will I ever find this again"
say "command type" then "move down 3" to select 'Advanced Scripting' from the drop-down list
say "Script" to move the cursor between Sub Main and End Sub
Say "Paste that"
Say "click save"
now try your macro in a Word document
For "Bring up folder" macro
Copy the script below:
AppBringUp "add file path here"
Say "add new command" or go to Dragon bar/tools/add new command
give your macro a name e.g. "Bring up will I ever find this again"
follow the steps as in the example above.
To open a document as opposed to a folder you will need to include name of doc and file extension eg
AppBringUp "C:\Dragon\macros\advanced scripting macros.doc"
If you would like some macro training documents send an email to sueew@hotmail.com
Louisa
macros
Re my posting above - I am assuming that you have Dragon professional
Louisa
Switching to folders is not
Switching to folders is not the easiest task with speech recognition. A jump ahead is natlink/unimacro/vocola. Unimacro provides a grammar folders which makes defining and jumping to folders easy.
A special trick has been made with on letter option: to jump to some folder on a remote drive, provided you define this drive with a drive letter.
Quintijn
Confused yet ? In this forum
Confused yet
? In this forum you will find advocates for scripting in Dragon professional, purchasing add-on packages such as VoicePower and KnowBrainer, and using free add-on packages such as Unimacro and Vocola. Which route you take depends amongst imho other things on how technical you are, if you can afford to buy additional software, and if you have time to tinker and write own macros or simply want something that works so that you can get on with your job.
Personally I'm using Dragon preferred with Unimacro and Vocola.
You can find reviews of VoicePower and KnowBrainer at:
http://www.speechcomputing.com/reviews
another idea
If you want to keep things simple (or you don't have dragon professional) you could create a text macro for the file path. Ie a text macro to produce 'C:\Dragon', whatever the file path is.
Say "File" then "Save as", then use your text macro to produce the file path, then say "Enter".
That would be a simple way to save to a particular folder.
To open a folder, create a desktop shortcut which you can open by saying "open folder", ie "open ".
Louisa
Woa! Holy inbox full, Batman! :)
Thank you all so much for your comments. To answer your questions...
a) DNS 9.5 Professional
b) No prior knowledge of DNS- but quick learner
c) Limited exposure to macros - primarily for gaming purposes and in a user friendly-ish format(WoW) but I took a couple of programming courses in college. I also started using computers and the internet before Windows and IE were a glimmer in their programmer's eye. (ya, I'm old) Yay for DOS and FTTP!
As for add-ons, free or otherwise, I'm afraid my company's security people and my manager who has to pay for things, would probably have a conniption if I suggested it. It took a month of testing for them to approve DNS the first time someone needed it.
Thanks Martin, I have been looking at the book Scripting for Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9, and hope to find it when I head to the "big city" this weekend.
Yes, Per Haglund, getting very confused... but not from this forum.
Bruce, KnowBrainer, Quintijn, thank you for responding and your help.
And thank you so much for your macro, Louisa. I will definitely give it a try for experience... but DOH! I have a shortcut folder on my desktop to that exact location and I never thought of it.
Can I blame it on information overload?
I think as my condition is not a reversable one, learning macros for improving the functionality is going to be one of my "jobs". It will help not only myself, but the two others in our company that need to use DNS for physical reasons.
Chrimarsh wrote: I have
I have been looking at the book Scripting for Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9, and hope to find it when I head to the "big city" this weekend.
While Larry would probably be pleased if the Big A or B&N started carrying his book, I think it may only be available online.
Gook luck with your scripting ventures!
Bruce